The corruption scandal in Brazil continues to develop as JBS co-owner Joesley Batista turns himself into authorities. Reuters reports that a Brazilian federal court on Friday granted the release from jail of Joesley Batista, former chairman of the world's biggest
meatpacker, JBS SA, according to court documents.

Batista, who steered JBS from a Brazilian beef processing firm to a global food conglomerate with major U.S. operations, was expected to be released later on Friday from a Sao Paulo detention center, said his lawyer, Andre Callegari.

Batista and his brother, Wesley, were arrested last year on charges of obstruction of justice and insider trading following a controversial plea bargain related to a corruption scandal that threatened to topple President Michel Temer.

Wesley Batista, the former chief executive of JBS, was released last month. The brothers cannot leave the country while they answer to charges against them. The Batistas control JBS through holding company J&F Investimentos.

The judge who ordered Joesley Batista's release said the reason for his preventive arrest order was no longer valid, since that type of arrest by law should not exceed 120 days. The former JBS chairman had been behind bars for the last six months.